The Xiong family residence held two corpses—one was Xiong Boren, and the other was Xiong Wei.
As one of Jiangzhou's top-tier families, the Xiong household was now bustling with visitors who had come to pay their respects upon hearing the news.
Xiong Bocheng put on a sorrowful expression. "Boren, how could you leave like this? Your elder brother was counting on working with you to take the Xiong family to even greater heights. Now that you're gone, how am I supposed to fulfill our grand ambitions alone?"
Tears and snot streamed down Xiong Bocheng's face. To an outsider, it might have seemed as though he and Xiong Boren had shared an unbreakable bond.
"Family Head Xiong, please accept our condolences," someone stepped forward to comfort him.
Xiong Qingshan stood there, his eyes vacant, ignoring everyone. He had been in this state ever since hearing the tragic news.
The entire Xiong family was immersed in boundless grief—though it was impossible to tell who was sincere and who was pretending.
It wasn't until the next morning that a glimmer of awareness returned to Xiong Qingshan's eyes. Just as he tried to stand, his legs faltered, and he nearly collapsed.
"Family Head!"
Someone cried out in alarm and rushed to support him.
"Get back!"
Xiong Qingshan roared, and instantly, no one dared approach.
Leaning on his cane, he slowly pulled himself upright through sheer willpower.
At that moment, everyone sensed the intimidating aura radiating from Xiong Qingshan—an aura so formidable that even Xiong Bocheng felt a twinge of fear.
Though Xiong Qingshan was old, he was the one who had built the Xiong family into a top-tier powerhouse. He was anything but simple.
"I announce two matters," Xiong Qingshan declared firmly. "First, starting today, all Xiong family businesses will close for three days. During this time, no member of the Xiong family is permitted to engage in any form of celebration or revelry."
The crowd was stunned. Xiong Qingshan was demanding a period of mourning for the entire family. Shutting down all businesses for three days would undoubtedly result in massive financial losses.
Though some worried about their own interests, no one dared voice their concerns at a time like this.
"Second!"
Xiong Qingshan's gaze swept across the crowd as he continued, "No one is to privately discuss the cause of Boren and Xiaowei's deaths. Anyone who violates this will be expelled from the family!"
The announcement sent shockwaves through the gathering.
"Father, even though Xiaowei and Boren's deaths were officially attributed to failed rescue efforts and an accident, we all know the truth—Xiaowei died because he was brutally beaten. Are we just going to let this go?" A middle-aged woman, her eyes red with grief, spoke up.
She was Xiong Boren's wife. The two deceased were her husband and son. How could she possibly accept this?
"Silence!"
Xiong Qingshan erupted in fury, glaring at the woman. "Their deaths were accidents—unrelated to anyone! Do you understand?!"
The woman shrank back, frightened by his outburst. Though resentment burned in her heart, she had no choice but to swallow it. Provoking Xiong Qingshan would only make her life harder.
"Have you all understood the two matters I just announced?" Xiong Qingshan demanded loudly.
"Understood!" the crowd chorused.
"Bocheng, come with me," Xiong Qingshan called just as Xiong Bocheng was beginning to wonder what was happening.
Xiong Bocheng followed him into the study.
"Do you understand why I said what I did earlier?"
Xiong Qingshan fixed his gaze on Xiong Bocheng, his expression unreadable.
Xiong Bocheng shook his head. "Father, I was planning to ask you privately—why are we letting revenge go?"
"He had all our entertainment venues shut down within hours, then reopened them just as quickly. That alone proves the extent of his influence. Crushing our family would be effortless for him."
Xiong Qingshan's eyes gleamed with shrewdness. "If we publicly claim that he's responsible for Xiaowei and Boren's deaths, do you think he'd let the Xiong family survive?"
Xiong Bocheng hadn't connected this to Yang Chen, but now he understood.
"Even if he's powerful, it's because of him that Boren and Xiaowei died. Are we just supposed to endure this?" Xiong Bocheng's eyes reddened with indignation.
Xiong Qingshan narrowed his eyes and replied with another question, "Do you think their deaths could have been orchestrated?"
"Of course they were orchestrated! Xiaowei was beaten to the brink of death by Yang Chen's subordinate, which led to his demise. And Boren's 'accident' was no coincidence," Xiong Bocheng said.
"What I mean is—could someone have killed them because they were a threat to certain interests, then pinned the blame on Yang Chen?" Xiong Qingshan's gaze remained locked on Xiong Bocheng, scrutinizing his every microexpression.
Xiong Bocheng had anticipated this suspicion and was prepared. How could he possibly slip up?
"What? Has Father already uncovered the truth behind their deaths?" Xiong Bocheng feigned shock, his face betraying nothing.
Xiong Qingshan was disappointed. He hadn't detected any signs of deception.
With a grave tone, Xiong Qingshan said, "Bocheng, you're right. We can't let their deaths go unpunished. You're my only son left. If you can avenge them, I'll pass the family head position to you immediately."
"Can I interpret this to mean that if I don't avenge them, you won't make me the family head?" Xiong Bocheng's eyes narrowed slightly.
Xiong Qingshan frowned. "You're my only son now. Who else could I pass the position to?"
"You still have daughters. And sons-in-law. Who's to say you won't suddenly decide to hand the family over to them one day?"
Xiong Bocheng suddenly smirked. "After all, they're your blood relatives. Me? I'm just the bastard child of your wife's affair. The only reason you publicly declared me your successor was to protect your worthless son and grandson. Am I right?"
"How dare you!" Xiong Qingshan roared, his face twisting in fury and disbelief.
He had no idea when Xiong Bocheng had learned these things, but every word was true.
"I also know that you want me to avenge those two trash to use me as a pawn. After all, you've already publicly stated their deaths had nothing to do with anyone else."
"If I succeed against Yang Chen, it counts as vengeance. If I fail, you can wash your hands of it."
"My dear father, you've gone to great lengths to protect those two all these years. But don't worry—they're dead now. You won't have to waste any more effort."
Xiong Bocheng showed no fear. As he spoke, Xiong Qingshan's eyes widened in rage. "Get out! Get out of here! Even if I die, I won't pass the family to you!"
"So Father finally admits it. In that case, if I do something unfilial, I suppose it's understandable, right?" Xiong Bocheng's tone was mocking.
"What do you mean?" Xiong Qingshan suddenly felt a sense of foreboding.
Just then, a middle-aged man entered the study.
"Chairman Xiong, I've prepared the family head's will in advance. He's already signed it. Please review it. If everything is in order, all that's left is for the family head to stamp it, and the will shall take immediate effect." The man stood respectfully beside Xiong Bocheng and presented the document.
Seeing the man and hearing his words, Xiong Qingshan shot to his feet, pointing at him in outrage. "Y-you—what nonsense are you spouting? When did I ask you to draft a will? When did I sign it?"
The man smiled. "Family Head, your signature is already on this will."
He turned the document toward Xiong Qingshan, letting him glimpse the contents.
When Xiong Qingshan saw it, his fury exploded. "You set me up!"
As he spoke, a sharp pain erupted in his chest. His face paled instantly, and his hands trembled as he reached for the heart medication in his pocket.
Xiong Bocheng grinned, stepped forward, and pulled out the pill bottle. Without hesitation, he tossed it out the window.
"Dear Father, there's something I think you should know now."
Xiong Bocheng leaned in and whispered into Xiong Qingshan's ear, "I was the one who arranged those 'accidents' for your two trash. You can go reunite with them in the afterlife. As for the Xiong family—I'll take good care of it."
The moment the words left his mouth, Xiong Qingshan's eyes bulged. Overwhelmed by shock and rage, his body stiffened, and soon, all life faded from his eyes. He died with his gaze wide open—unable to rest in peace.
"Father!"
A heart-wrenching wail erupted from the study. "Call an ambulance! Someone call an ambulance!"
In just two days, three members of the Xiong family had died.
When the news broke, all of Jiangzhou was stunned.
Xiong Qingshan had repeatedly declared Xiong Bocheng his successor during his lifetime. Now, with the will in hand, Xiong Bocheng smoothly assumed the position of family head.
Meanwhile, at the Qin family residence, Old Master Qin was equally shocked by the news. He immediately summoned Fang Yue.
"Fang Yue, your grandfather has an important task for you. You must secure Yang Wei. Once you marry into the Yang family, the Qin family will soar to new heights because of you," Old Master Qin said solemnly.
Fang Yue had been spending every day with Yang Wei lately, utterly infatuated. She smirked confidently. "Don't worry, Grandfather. I've basically already won Yang Wei over. He's promised me that once he returns to Zhoucheng, he'll start preparing for our engagement."
"Good! Excellent!"
Old Master Qin was overjoyed.
In his eyes, the Xiong family's successive deaths—even Xiong Qingshan's—were far from simple.
When Xiong Bocheng and Xiong Boren had come to apologize that day, though they'd mistaken someone else, it had confirmed to Old Master Qin that the Xiong family had crossed Yang Wei—and paid the price.
Outside Sanhe Group's office building, Qin Xi had just finished work when she spotted Yang Chen waiting for her.
"Yang Chen, how could you do such a thing?"
The moment she saw him, Qin Xi's anger flared.
Yang Chen was baffled. "Xiao Xi, what did I do?"
"The Xiong family was wrong, but they didn't actually harm me or Xiao Yi. Yet because of us, you wiped out three generations of their family! Do you think just because you're powerful, you can act without consequences?" Qin Xi's eyes were red with fury.
The series of events in the Xiong family had forced her to connect them to Yang Chen.
The Xiong family was a top-tier household. Even the four major families of Jiangzhou wouldn't dare move against them lightly. Apart from Yang Chen, she couldn't think of anyone else capable of this.
Yang Chen laughed bitterly. "Xiao Xi, in your eyes, am I just a bloodthirsty monster?"